After the Magoli soldiers finished their lunch, Misheel ordered the fifty soldiers to escort the fleeing civilians to Txoo Village. He knew that by leaving his own soldiers to escort the fleeing civilians, civilians would not hurt each other over their differences.
The soldiers were moving items to free up fifty horses for the fifty soldiers to escort the fleeing civilians to Txoo Village per Misheel's order.
"Khawn!" Naksh said. "We need your horse."
Khawn looked at Naksh and said, "Why my horse?"
Drystan said, "Because we are short of a horse."
Khawn looked at Naksh and Drystan. "What am I going to ride on?"
Jeet came up with a donkey and said, "I found you a ride."
Khawn was taken aback, "Ah... a donkey!"
Jeet smiled and placed the leash in Khawn's hand. "Yep... a donkey."
Khawn looked at the men who stood giggling at him. "Why do I have to ride a donkey? Why can't you ride this donkey?" he said unhappily.
Naksh said, "Look at us, look at you. We are too big and tall for this little donkey."
Drystan smiled and said, "Of all of us, you are the most perfectly sized."
Timicin looked back at the men and shouted, "Hey! Come on, we are leaving now!"
Jeet patted Khawn's left shoulder and said, "It's only for two days. Besides, it will be dark by the time we reach Ntsua-Ntu. No one will see you riding a donkey into the city." He chuckled and walked away.
Khawn clutched the leash tightly in his hands and muttered to himself. "One of these days, the joke will be on you..." Then a loud grunt caught his attention.
Khawn looked toward the donkey's back and saw a young woman dusting off dirt from her hands, while an older woman dusted dirt off the young woman's clothes.
Although the young woman's face was covered with dirt, Khawn knew just by looking that there must be a beautiful woman beneath the grime.
Qinru knew that the weight of her grandmother and their bags of personal belongings was too much for her to carry on her back, but she believed it was the only way she could be sure they would make it to Txoo Village.
Helping her granddaughter dust off the dirt on her clothes, Grandmother Li said with concern, "Qinru, you don't have to carry me on your back, I can walk."
"Grandmother, they are leaving. If I don't carry you, we won't be able to catch up with them," Qinru said. "I can still carry you. We don't know the way to Txoo Village." A shadow came over, blocking the sun from shining on her. She looked up and saw a young man and a donkey standing less than twenty feet away from her. She was scared and quickly moved behind Grandmother Li's back.
"This young soldier," Grandmother Li said with a trembling voice. "We didn't do anything wrong. Please don't hurt us."
When he saw Qinru and Grandmother Li, Khawn was speechless. He hesitated for a while, and finally said shyly, "I...I won't hurt you."
He knelt down and put the leash in Grandmother Li's hand.
"You need this more than me."
He looked up and saw Qinru staring at him; suddenly he became shy, looking down at the ground and avoiding eye contact with either woman.
"This grandmother, let me help you get on the donkey's back."
Khawn helped Grandmother Li onto the donkey's back and fixed the donkey in place. It wasn't until Qinru handed the three bags on the ground to Grandmother Li that he handed the leash to Qinru.
"Thank you," Qinru said.
Khawn didn't dare to look at Qinru because he was shy, so he walked away quickly without saying anything. When he walked twenty steps away from Qinru and Grandmother Li, he found that there was still a water bag hanging on his belt, and he quickly took it off. He turned around and ran back to Qinru. He grabbed Qinru's hand, placed the water bag in her hand, and ran quickly towards the leaving Magoli soldiers.
Qinru watched Khawn's back disappear into the crowd of Magoli soldiers. She whispered, "Thank you."
When he arrived, everyone was already on their horses and they realized Khawn was walking, not on the back of a donkey.
"Why walking?" Zhi asked. "Where is your ride?"
Khawn said, "I realized there was someone who needed that donkey more than I did."
Jeet said with a smile, "Did you give it away? Why kid? I tried so hard to find you that donkey."
Khawn looked wildly at Jeet and Naksh and said, "I would rather walk to Ntsua-Ntu than ride on a donkey's back."
Chinua looked down at Khawn and said, "Your feet can't keep up with the speed of these horses."
Khawn looked up at Chinua and said, "The speed of the donkey cannot either."
Chinua looked at Khawn, then at the men around her.
She exchanged a look with the men, because they had seen Khawn give his donkey to the two civilian women.
Seeing Khawn turn red, Chinua and the men suddenly laughed.
Khawn said annoyingly, "If you've all laughed enough, it's time for us to leave."
Chinua held back her laughter because she knew that if she spoke or laughed any more, Khawn would not accept her offer.
She held out her hand to Khawn and said, "Come on."
Khawn grabbed Chinua's hand and jumped on the horse.
When night fell on the second day of their journey, Chinua and the others reached the gate of Ntsua-Ntu City.
At this time, the night was still early, and there were still many people strolling on the streets with their relatives and friends, enjoying the lights of the city.
The sound of people talking can be heard from the city to the main entrance of Ntsua-Ntu City.
As they entered Ntsua-Ntu City, Chinua knocked lightly on the side of the horse carriage. "Minister Misheel," Chinua said.
Misheel poked his head out of the window and asked, "Chinua, what do you need?"
Chinua said, "My men will return to my residence. I will enter the palace with you, Khunbish and Khenbish."
Misheel turned to look at Timicin and said, "You should go home and see your mother. She misses you."
The carriage stopped; Timicin and Hye got off the carriage and walked to Chinua who had just dismounted.
Khawn quickly pulled Hye onto the horse.
Another soldier also jumped off his horse and stood beside Chinua and others.
Timicin took the leash from the soldier, and he looked at Chinua and said, "You and your men are always welcome at my residence."
Chinua smiled and teased, "I don't think you will have time to accompany us because you will be busy going on one blind date to the next."
Timicin hit Chinua lightly on the side of her chest for teasing him, jumped on his horse, and rode away in the direction of his home.
Chinua and the soldier climbed into the carriage. She sat on the bench opposite Misheel, and the carriage drove slowly toward the palace gate, leaving her seven men behind.
Drystan looked at Zhi and said, "Let's go get something to eat before we go into the house. There is no one at home to cook for us."
Zhi said, "Let's eat at the same place."
Naksh said, "Yeah... I like their wine."
Hye said, "Let's go... I'm hungry. I will come back to rest after dinner. I won't drink with you."
Jeet laughed and said, "Drinking with you is no fun."
The men laughed and headed towards their favorite inn.
The chattering of voices could be heard from outside the throne hall, as palace maids walked in and out to serve the guests. In the throne hall, guests and senior ministers sat down to dinner with Batukhan and the royal family members of Hmagol.
Batukhan turned to the left and looked at Geming, who was sitting at the same table with Ankhtsetseg. He smiled and said, "Prince Geming, I hope you like our food."
Geming smiled and replied politely, "Thank you, Your Highness, the food is great."
Batukhan said, "I'm glad you liked it. As you can see, these are my children and your future in-laws. As for my other sons, they will be unable to attend the royal wedding, and for that I sincerely apologize."
Geming said, "There will be opportunities to meet them in the future."
Tong knelt beside Batukhan and whispered a few words, and a smile suddenly appeared on Batukhan's face. He turned to Tong and said, "Set two more tables." He raised his head and saw Chinua walking in with Khunbish, Khenbish and Misheel.
The fragments of metal armor rubbed together, and the heavy footsteps of Chinua and her two personal guards sounded from the entrance, causing the guests in the throne hall to look towards the main entrance.
Batukhan stood up, stepped forward with open arms, and said with a smile, "Welcome home, my daughter." He hugged Chinua and patted her twice on the back. He patted Khunbish's left shoulder and then Khenbish's left shoulder. He turned to Misheel. "Thank you." He smiled at Misheel. "Now take your seat."
Chinua saw Bastsaikhan sitting on her right, next to Esen and Yargui, and walked quickly to him and sat at the same table with him. Khunbish and Khenbish sat at the table behind her.
Batukhan picked up a bowl of mare's milk and said, "I would like to toast the fourth Princess, who successfully assisted our allies and maintained our peace agreement."
The ministers in the palace all picked up their bowls and said in unison, "Congratulations to the Fourth Princess."
A minister said, "Your Majesty, since the Fourth Princess has brought victory home, I suggest that the reward for Her Highness should be no less than that of any general."
Batukhan said, "I agree. Chinua, I will reward you three thousand pieces of gold, two hundred horses, and one hundred rolls of silk. As for the soldiers, Esen, I will let you take care of that."
Bastsaikhan looked at Chinua, a warm smile spreading across his face. "You did it," he said. "Congratulations."
Chinua approached Bastsaikhan and asked, her voice slightly uncertain, "What should I do with these awards?"
Bastsaikhan smiled and said, "It's yours, you can do whatever you want with it." He held Chinua's hand gently. "I'm very proud of you, Chinua."
Chinua turned and saw the tears in Bastsaikhan's eyes. She held his hand and said, "You are my brother. No matter what happens, I'm with you."
"Your Majesty," Erhi said. Batukhan turned to her. "My happiness extends to both Your Majesty and the Fourth Princess. I know my request may be excessive, but it is what I need to feel secure."
Batukhan asked, "What do you want to ask?"
Erhi took a breath. "Your Majesty, I have a difficult request regarding the journey to Zhugow City. Inspired by the bravery I have seen in the Fourth Princess, I ask if Her Highness might accompany the eldest princess."
"Concubine Erhi, this may be a little inappropriate because the Fourth Princess is not part of the imperial escort."
Concubine Erhi, how dare you ask one princess to escort another princess! The Fourth Princess is not a slave in the palace; you cannot assign her tasks at will. You forgot, her title is princess, not imperial guard."
Erhi said sadly, "Your Highness, that was not my intention."
Qara look coldly at Erhi and asked, "Then what is your intention?"
Erhi's voice was low, tinged with sadness. "I just thought that the eldest princess and the Fourth Princess are both His Majesty's princesses and get along very well... Although the eldest princess is favored by Tanggolian crown prince... there shouldn't be any..."
Chinua stood up and interrupted Erhi, "Concubine Erhi, I will escort the eldest princess to Zhugow City!"
Qara was taken aback, she said, "Chinua..."
Chinua stated firmly, "Concubine Erhi has never asked me to do anything. Since she trusts me to accompany the eldest princess to Zhugow City, I will go."